E-mail: gomercic@olimp.irb.hr
Summary: We have been observing and documenting the encounters with
marinemammals (Maditerranean monk seal, dolphins and whales) interritorial
sea of the Republic of Croatia. We have registered afew observings of
Mediterrenean monk seal around the islands ofPalagruža, Lastovo and Pag.
The dolphins have been seen relativlyoften, although it was almost always
the same species -bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). There are
indicationsthat two Risso's dolphins have been seen twice, each time
onlyone specimen. Also, a whale from the Balaenoptera family was seenonce
and a carcass of a fin whale cub (Balaenoptera physalus), 11meters long was
found. We've also examined bodies of 6 deaddolphins and determined the age,
the species and their healthcondition. Five specimens were bottlenosed
dolphins. In this seait was found for the first time a specimen of the
striped dolphin(Stenella caeruleoalba). On the base of these studies, we
canconclude that nowdays, in the Adriatic sea, there lives mainlythe
species of bottlenosed dolphin which population is estimatedto 150 - 300
specimens. We have also done a written andelaborated proposal for permanent
and complete conservation ofdolphins and other cetaceans in Croatia, which
we've addressed tothe Ministry of enviromental protection of Republic of
Croatiaand to the other relevant institutions in Croatia.

Research goals: The goals of the study are getting acquainted with
biological characteristics of the populations of the marine mammals in the
Croatina part of the Adriatic Sea and to prepare conditions fortheir
protection. Extinction of certain species of marine mammals due to human
neglect, could result in dangerous disbalance of biocenosis. As well, we
want to study the species of the dolphins living or just periodically
inhabiting the Adriatic Sea, and to establish their health condition. The
results of these studies could provide the right management of those
species and Adriatic biocenosis as a whole, and at the same time they
would contributeto the whole worldwide knowledge of marine mammals, that
is nowdays very actual.